noun

A very desirable property in many applications is thixotropy, in which the material behaves as a gel or very viscous liquid at rest or subject to mild shear, but flows freely when subjected to a larger shear.

When cold it is difficult or impossible to ‘shake out’ the stiffening due to enhanced thixotropy.

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thixotropic

These systems are called thixotropic and are characterized by a difference in viscosity, depending on the speed at which the shear force is applied.

Its use in stabilizer systems is advantageous because it exhibits thixotropic rheological properties, requiring little change in processing conditions while providing stability to the finished product.

Another advantage of the theory is that it provides a possible explanation for an important quantitative difference between the thixotropic properties of relaxed and contracting fibers, the rate of stiffness recovery.